Communication is key to any relationship. It becomes even more important is if that communication gives you just another reason to be out on two wheels. But did you ever use those wired intercom systems? I did, with the unit wired under the seat, power from the battery, and then a host of connections for you and your pillion. Then the various dials and knobs on the unit to adjust the sound, correct for wind, etc. Then every time you went to get off the motorcycle was a Russian roulette of whether you remembered to unplug or not. Then the marvel of bluetooth arrived on the scene, and the first few years of headsets were just a pain in the arse, all promise but usually failing to delivery. All you wanted was something that was cable free, simple to install, and easy to use.
Which leads me to introduce you to the Sena 3S series of bluetooth intercoms which are at the budget end of the price spectrum and offers everything I found myself wishing for in a bluetooth system just a couple of years ago. Bluetooth 3.0 out of the box, the firmware is upgradeable via your PC or Mac, it will connect to your smartphone and/or a GPS, intercom range of 200m with another Sena device, and an extremely low-profile installation. The beauty of this system is that your speakers hide all the usual gubbins of the system, your batteries and the electronic wizardry is hidden inside the two speakers.
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| Sena 3S-WB – Note very low profile buttons in bottom right of helmet |
Now take note that the 3S comes in three different flavours, the 3S-B, 3S-W, and 3S-WB. I have got myself a pair of Sena 3S-WB’s which are ideal for flip-up helmets as it has a boom and the two-button controller is stuck to the outside of the helmet. The 3S-W is a similar set-up but instead of a boom the microphone is fixed to the front of your full-face helmet. While the 3S-B is the lowest profile as your two control buttons are integrated into the boom microphone, perfect for open-face helmets. So pick your poison accordingly, but while using WB on a flip-up would be possible, you probably would not get access to the controls while the front is down.
Many modern helmets come with inserts for speakers these days, which even include cut-outs for the wires, however as the 3S system hides everything in the speakers it make them a bit thicker than usual. Also you get two sets of cables running out of the left speaker for the power, and boom, so if your inserts are tight for space or you have a tight fit to your ears this is something to bare in mind. I would rate the installation as easy, everything is provided in the box and all you need to do is think about where you are positioning everything.
Setting this up is probably the least technically involved experience I have had with a bluetooth intercom. Using the quick-start guide I paired the phone and second 3S-WB each at first attempt. Not once did I need to consult a Youtube guide. The only time you need to look at the manual is setting up phone for music/phone stuff and a GPS for navigation. For this reason alone I would rate rate the setup as being moderately involved as unless you consult the manual you may miss this.
I have used the the 3S since July 2017 commuting now and the two-button system could not be simpler. Press the two together, on it comes, connects to phone, start playing your favourite podcast (or music) and off you go. I found the sound to be perfectly adequate up to about 100KPH, after that it became difficult to fully follow the speech. Wind-noise is key here, on a bright breathless day you can listen happily at 120kph+, but any sort of wind above 100kph smoothers the sound. I then used the pair of 3S-WB’s touring around Ireland with my partner and for conversation at all legal speeds we were very happy, at the 120KPH end things were a bit shouty, but everything below that was perfectly acceptable.
The advertised battery life of 8 hours looks to be accurate out of the box. We spent 7 hours in the saddle, when she was not talking to me she had music playing, while I avoided listening to music just in case the 8 hours was optimistic. Note that to start and finish a conversation you do need to press the “-” button for 1 sec. Holding for 3 sec’s means you redial your last call, apologies to those I have already accidently called and will call in the future! You can answer calls by just speaking, and also voice dial with these units too.
Overall we have been really impressed by these units, and the price is fantastic for the features you get with these. I have had units with better sounds and even more features but I do not want to use the cliche of you get what you pay for (even if I just did). The Sena 3S range will do everything you wished for from a bluetooth headset, and then a little bit more. If this is your first foray into the world of bluetooth headsets then it comes highly recommended. If you are looking to replace a current system, then check the feature list, but this should not disappoint either. It is not the best, but for the price it is hard to beat.
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